The Constitutional Chamber of Libya’s Supreme Court issued two rulings today.
The first ruling stipulated that the House of Representatives’ (HoR) Law No. 4 of 2017 on the trial of civilians before military courts for terrorism crimes and crimes committed against the personality of the state is unconstitutional.
The second ruling stipulates that the HoR’s law on the transfer of the subordination of the “Official Gazette” from the Ministry of Justice to the HoR’s Office is unconstitutional
Ramifications of rulings
Commentators and analysts across several Libyan Arabic-language media outlets said the rulings reinforce the principle of the separation of powers between the executive, the judiciary and the legislative arms in Libya.
They also said the ruling reinforces the separation of the military and civilian judiciary and aims to ensure the civil status of the Libyan state and establishes the jurisdiction of the military courts (in accordance with Law No. 1 of 2009).
Commentators hope that this will be the start of the Supreme Court reimposing itself on Libyan affairs after a long period of weakness, division and lack of confidence since the 2011 revolution that overthrew the 42-year old Qaddafi regime.
